PDA, Program, Weather Meter- Help

I have been shooting my 7STW pretty comfortably out to 700yds. I want to stretch it out to 1000yds now. I have been using a very basic ballistic program and I would like advise on the equipment needed. I am thinking of the Kestrel 3500, NF xbal and I have no clue on a PDA. It needs to be basic. My current cell phone is just that, a phone. I have limited computer skills.
In addition, I have signed up for one of Shawn Carlocks basic classes and I would like to be proficient with it by June when I take the class.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Someone will come on and give you some advise. I have been looking myself for better equipment also and asking the same question so have been watching this post myself. Biggest problem I have is the cost of some of the things needed. Some kind of reasonably priced PDA and Exbal is what I am needing. This year I have gotten by with a Caldwell Windmeter Crony Cronagraph and a print out from Sierra 6 program and a Leica 1600 which had me pretty close when shooting out to 1200 yds all summer but when I went to the field and tried to use the info I was low on every first shot by a lot. I ended up getting a 6X7 Mule deer at roughly 825-850 if I figure what I added onto the scope to hit the buck but I feel that I should of been on with the first shot rather than 4.5 MOA low. So better equipment and programs are also in the works to overcome this problem.

I have a Dell Axim X30 PDA. You can find them pretty cheap on Ebay, and I think I paid about $40 for mine. Also, their is X50 which is a little nicer unit. You should have no problem loading exbal onto either one, but whatever PDA you purchase, you will need to make sure it has a Windows Mobile operating system. As far as the Kestrels go, I have a 2500 that has served me just fine.

Now I use my Iphone with the Ballistic FTE app.. It works well and the battery life is much better than on my PDA.

For a PDA I really think the apple products are the way to go if for no other reason than the better battery life. There are some very easy and accurate ballistic programs for iDevices that will serve all of your needs. Shooter, Ballistic FTE, iSnipe, and Bulletflight are the ones I can think of now. I have been messing with Shooter the last few days and like what I see so far. It has all the basic functions plus spin drift, Coriolis, zero vs current atmospheric shooting conditions, click value adjustments, and trajectory validation (or a form thereof) is coming in the next upgrade which is supposed to be this week.

For a weather meter I use a Kestrel 3500 and it is everything you need. If you want to go more go all the way to a blue tooth meter that will interface with your ballistic program.

Shawn uses Exbal so if you want to be synced up with him then you will need to go a different route. But exbal is pricey and it only runs on a windows platform I believe.